001Pledge of Allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Um, we are going to have a moment of silence. And if you haven't had time to silence your cell phones, please do so now. Okay. Do I have any board member statements? Miss Bernett. Good afternoon. And um it was a very eventful, wonderful month. And I, like many other board members, had an opportunity to be present for the art gallery opening. Every year it blows me away to see just how our students raised the bar. This art this year was absolutely breathtaking and just more than anybody could imagine. Um I also had an opportunity to be present during fine arts for
002the festival they had where they had the art there as well. So it was really really fun. and they had a lot of things going and our students are really competitive because we went into the library and we were strong armed and forced to to vote for somebody's uh I guess like a food truck but it was just it was so hard to pick so that was amazing. Um and I was also very honored last week to be able to be present for the career day um at fine arts and the students there are just so professional, so well behaved and just just amazing. So, I'm just really grateful for those opportunities. Thank you, Mr. Nielsen. Thank you very much. And you, it's been a long time since I think we've met and there's a
003lot of things we've been able to do in that that same time period. I just like to bring the attention of everyone here that Aendale, city of Aendale recognized outstanding students and we were recogniz they recognized Mario Vega from Countryplace Leadership Academy for the work that they had done he had done there. So I just wanted to bring that forth and I had the opportunity not only go to the art show which was great. I'm still trying to figure out how they put some of those things together and painted them, made them look so realistic. But I had an opportunity to go and participate in the Countryplace Leadership Academy and got to take the talk to the kids a little bit about my education and my work as an engineer and then went to the
004Trace Rio's learning service day and got to participate with a kindergarten class and what we got to see and do and participate with them. So, it's been a fun fun fun a lot of fun events and thank you. All right, Mr. Senris. Oh, yeah. It's on. Um, just like um members of the board, I had the opportunity to go to the art show. Um, it was really beautiful to see. Um, I don't want to pick favorites, but I want to give a shout out to the students at Quinton. Um, they did an amazing job on some of the pieces there. Some of my favorites are from that school. Um the really one that was my favorite was the identity one where students were able to make the shoes of the identity represents them. That one
005was really really beautiful. So um shout out to all of our amazing students that did all the work for our show and the staff who put it all together in our curriculum instruction department. All right. Um I was also able to attend the district art show. Um I think my favorite was from Collier. There was key holes that you got to look through and see like what was inside the room and that I just really loved those. Um I was able to attend fine arts's um festival. I love that um Miss Wallace saves all of the students artwork from the whole year and then she covers hallways and the gymnasium with all of the students art for the year. I was able to represent the board um at the school connect awards um for Miss
006Armstrong. She was a finalist for an amazing principal. So I was so glad to represent the board there at that awards breakfast. Um I was able to attend fine arts dance concert this past weekend. It's just so great to see so many students um living their lives in art and dance and all the students able to participate. And then lastly, I was able to attend Country Plac's um National Junior Honors Society in spring induction, which was amazing to see us recognizing students who not only are doing well in the class, but are also committed to community service and leadership in their school. All right, moving on to item number six. Dr. Smith, superintendence report. Good evening, Little Little Littleton board and members of the public. With the end of the school year less than two
007weeks away, this time of school year is always a time of reflection, recognition, and celebration for students and staff alike. Shortly after the last governing board meeting, our annual district art show uh show took place, as you've heard about that, at the Aenddale City Library. To stay to say that we have talented students in Littleton district is an understatement as anyone that walked into the gallery was in awe at seeing two uh dimensional and threedimensional art exhibits on display. One day in the future uh it wouldn't surprise me if we heard that the next gener American artist started their journey in the Littleton district. Wouldn't that be exciting? On the same night as our district art show, firstear teachers in the Littleton district were celebrated at the district office. The first year can be often
008uh can often be a challenging year and we're very proud of everything that our first year teachers have accomplished. The financial literacy workshop or work at Collier is always impressive and recently seventh and eighth graders competed in a stock market challenge with other local middle schoolers. They ended up taking first place in their division, receiving a $500 prize and a banner for the school while also being invited to attend an awards ceremony at Midwestern University. At the end of April, Trace Rio Service Academy held their annual service learning day in which students learned about and engaged with professionals in several service industries including law enforcement, aviation, the military, food service, and more. We are so thankful for uh the time that each of these professionals took out of their busy schedules to interact with our
009students. This past month, the Westside Impact Math Challenge took place and our district champions in each of the three divisions participated. When the final results were revealed, our fifth and sixth grade champions from Quinton took home second place. Congratulations to every student that participated. We are very proud of your accomplishments. On May 2nd, Countryplace Leadership Academy held their annual leadership day. This event is different than many across the district because it is it is entirely studentled and provides an opportunity for students from every grade level to teach guests about the seven habits of highly effective leaders. Students lead tours across the school, explain the seven habits and speeches, engage uh guests in crowd activities, and showed what it means to be a lighthouse school. So, great job to the Mustangs on showing off uh your
010leadership skills. A treat for the eyes uh arts show took place at the Freeman Arts Academy this past month. Continue to show why they are the leaders in the arts. From displaying student art to artistic performances, this event continues to showcase why Freeman Fine Arts students lead the district and the West Valley in the arts. Last week, every Littleton District staff member was celebrated during Educator Appreciation Week. Many of the school sites had special treats provided by their parent organizations, while the Littleton Education Foundation provided a coffee truck that traveled to every site providing a beverage to all staff members as well as bagels, cream cheese, coffee, and juice from Einstein Brothers uh on a separate morning. We are so appreciative of the continued support of our Littleton community and the Littleton Education Foundation and
011how they provide for our students and and staff during education educator appreciation week as well as throughout the entire year. Our 2025 teachers and principal of the year were also recognized last week at the Westside Impact Teacher of the Year breakfast. It was it was great to join together with other West Valley school districts at this annual event of celebration and appreciation for the work all of our teachers do every day to ensure our students can grow and succeed to reach their future goals. As I wrap up this month's report, I'd like to thank Miss Carmen with Quinton STEM Academy PTA for their donations of $2,157 that will help support student field trips. I also want to invite our governing board and the Littleton community to join us this Friday, May 16th, at the Tallison
012Performing Arts Center as Littleton students from across the district will provide an entertaining evening of music and dance as they showcase their talents. Lastly, I want to take the time to congratulate our eighth graders that will be participating in promo promotion activities at theiries next week. We look forward to seeing your future accomplishments, knowing that the Littleton District helped provide a strong foundation to help uh to be able to reach your future aspirations. Thank you. And that concludes my comments for this evening. Thank you, Dr. Smith. Um, Ms. Barnett's going to read our proclamation this evening. Good evening. Whereas the impact and value the Littleton Elementary School District educators provide to our students and their families is immeasurable. And whereas student is whereas teachers wear many hats including but not limited to role models, mentors,
013motivators, coaches, listeners, and trouble treasure hunters. And whereas teachers embrace students of widely different backgrounds and often face a Madrid of daily challenges. And whereas the almost 60,000 active teachers in the Arizona workforce work tirelessly during some of the most challenging times we have ever faced. And whereas we are reminded every year during teacher appreciate appreciation week to show thanks to our teachers for all they do as they educate the children of our community. Now therefore, be it resolved that the governing board of Littletown Elementary School District celebrates the second week in May as teacher appreciation week and calls upon our community to share their appreciation to educators. Thank you. All right, moving on to item number seven, program showcase. Miss Garrison. Madame President, governing board, tonight's showcase will include a celebration of our Westside
014Impact teachers and principal of the year. Then we'll move on to bidding a due and showing our gratitude to those retiring at the end of this year. And finally, we'll hear about the final round of sports and our amazing student athletes. Dr. Hay will get us started. Thank you, Madame President, members of the board. Um, as you heard about the celebration for teacher of the year uh last week, it was wonderful to celebrate the teachers that provi pro provide such care and give their hearts to Littleton. Um, when I call your name, if you were here, if you'll please come up. Um, the principal gets to be by herself. We'll take some pictures and then we'll pull the rest of you up. Okay. So, first off, we have Australia Vista STEM Academy Miss Samantha Armstrong
015who has chosen a Westside Impact Principal of the Year. Samantha is recognized for her exceptional leadership qualities, including being student centered, motivating positive change, demonstrating situational leadership, and empowering others. In her first year as principal, she led astray Vista STEM Academy to the achieved the largest increase in student growth in the district. Under her leadership, the school was recognized by Solution Tree as a promising practices professional learning community at work, highlighting the school's commitment to effective practices that enhance student achievement. Samantha's clear communication and active listening skills have been instrumental in building a shared vision among educators, focusing on learning, collaboration, and results orientation. Thank you, Mrs. Armstrong. Can you come up and let's give her a big round of applause? Miss Oanik and Dr. Smith. I think it would be good. Congratulations Next, in
016no particular order of accomplishment, we'll just go in alphabetical order by school, I'd like to recognize Hannah Hertram from Collier Business Academy for Financial Literacy. Hannah represents the very best of our profession. An educator whose innovation, leadership, and heart inspire both students and staff every day. She designs engaging student- centered lessons that integrate technology in meaningful ways and consistently bring cutting edge instructional strategies into her classroom. Her approach is not only rooted in academic rigor, but also in creativity and joy, making learning come alive for her students. Outside of the classroom, Hannah is the go-to person for all things related to social media, technology, and school branding. She consistently highlights the incredible work happening at Collier, helping tell our school story and connecting families and community to our mission. Congratulations, Miss Herert [Applause] at Countryplace
017Leadership Academy. Stacy Soman is the teacher of the year. She's a dedicated and caring teacher who consistently goes above and beyond to ensure her students growth and learning. Her enthusiasm and respect for her job are evident, making her a beloved figure at Countryplace. As an amazing Lighthouse coordinator and co-orker, Stacy works tirelessly to guide Lighthouse students toward their leadership goals, organizes events based on student feedback, and maintains safety during afterchool duties. Her kindness and generosity create a supportive environment where both students and colleagues feel valued. Congratulations, Stacy. I'm not sure. Um, if you are here, if you will migrate over to the picture and then just wave at everybody so we can see your wonderful faces. At Estraa Vista STEM Academy for Engineering, Miss Emily Seagerman is the teacher of the year. She has been
018an exceptional addition to the EV staff, demonstrating unwavering support for both staff and students. Known for her caring and compassionate nature, she addresses student concerns promptly and positively, Emily has seamlessly integrated into the team, facilitating instructional rounds with expertise and dedication. Her knowledge and genuine care for growth have made her an invaluable asset, contributing significantly through professional development presentations. Thank you, Miss Seagman. [Applause] It's the The Freeman Fine Arts Academy teacher of the year is Miss Selma Burlonga. Miss Burlanga is a true team player, always willing to collaborate with colleagues to enhance the educational experience. Since the school opened, she has been a cornerstone of the staff, providing strong and inspiring leadership. She has played a pivotal role in shaping the school's culture and guiding new teachers, ensuring a cohesive and supportive environment for both
019staff and students. Congratulations, Miss Berlanga. [Applause] At Lakeen Prep Academy, the teacher of the year is Miss Kelsey Barnes, Lake's fifth and sixth grade math teacher. And she is nothing short of incredible. From supporting her teammates, being a member of the guiding coalition, and a championship winning coach, she does it all on our campus. She is passionate about her profession and dedicated to her student success. She exemplifies being a lifelong learner as she will be graduating from ASU next week with her Masters of Ed in educational leadership. Congratulations, Miss Barnes. From Littleton STEM Academy for Computer Science, the teacher of the year is Miss Arizona Wyn. She's a respected leader on campus who consistently demonstrates professionalism and a deep dedication to her students. Her commitment to excellence is evident in the high expectations she sets
020for both herself and those around her. Miss W's leadership is marked by her ability to inspire and support students in reaching their fullest potential, resulting in strong student achievement year after year. Her presence on campus is a model of integrity, focus, and unwavering belief in the success of all learners. Congratulations, Miss Win. [Applause] Quentyn STEM Academy for Health Science recognizes Lacy Halmrest. She is an exceptional teacher and colleague known for her unwavering dedication and support to both her students and her team. She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that her students are not only learning the content but also growing in their educational careers. Building strong relationships with her student is students is a top priority for her. She's also a fantastic team player and grade level leader, always ready to lend a helping
021hand and contribute to the success of her peers. Her involvement in numerous school activities, including her role as NJHS advisor, highlights her commitment to promoting student engagement. Her strong personality and passion for teaching shine through in everything she does, making her an invaluable asset to the Shark Nation. Finally, Trace Rio Service Academy teacher of the year, Mrs. Claudia Lopez. She doesn't often ask for recognition, but her impact is felt every single day. She shows up with a smile, ready to support everyone around her with honesty, warmth, and quiet strength. She goes above and beyond for her students. She pours her heart into making sure they get what they need, always with patience, care, and a deep sense of purpose. She holds them to high expectations because she truly believes in them and they know it.
022Claudia leads by example. She's a thoughtful teammate, a trusted leader, and someone who builds strong relationships across the school. and she plays a key role in shaping the direction of Trace Rios through her leadership. Her passion for education, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to students make her an invaluable part of the [Applause] community. Mrs. Garrison. Madame President, governing board, please help me honor the following staff members who are reaching their retirement. First up, Mr. Ron [Applause] Christie. Following a distinguished career as a firefighter, Mr. Ron Christie chose to begin a new chapter. And how fortunate are we that it led him to our district with a legacy of driving his fellow firefighters to emergency scenes. It is clear that navigating big responsibilities is second nature to him. In his time with us, he has
023brought the same sense of purpose, reliability, and care to his role, forming positive relationships with his passengers, his students, and ensuring they arrive safely and confidently each day. Mr. Christy is to be commended for not only his exemplary attendance but for the countless ways he has gone above and beyond to support students. Stories of his dedication, kindness, and service have made their way through our schools. And it is clear that he has served as a role model for both children and adults. Never forget the difference you have made in your students lives and the people you have touched in your time here at the Littleton School District. your community, co-workers, and most of all, your students will miss you dearly. Congratulations and happy retirement. Please, you and your family. Is [Music] that go with him?
024Both of you. Ron's family, please join him for a photo in the picture. [Applause] Our next honore is Diane Hedges, who is not with us today, but I'd like to read a few words. Diane has served as an educator in the Littleton district for the last 16 years. Her passion for books, learning, and helping others has touched countless lives and inspired generations of readers. Thank you for your 16 years of dedication, your warmth, and your incredible service as a media clerk at Trace Rios Collier and your influence in opening new libraries at Fine Arts in Lake and Prep. Your ability to create welcoming, vibrant spaces where students could explore, imagine, and grow has left a mark on our community. From organizing shelves to sparking curiosity, you have developed readers. You'll be deeply missed and forever
025celebrated. Enjoy this new chapter. You've earned every page, Miss [Applause] Hedges. Next up, way in the back, Miss Marisella Martinez. After more than two decades of dedicated service to the district, we extend our heartfelt thanks and congratulations on your retirement. Throughout the years, you have exemplified professionalism, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous growth. The variety of roles you've held speaks volumes about your curiosity and willingness to learn, and your flexibility has made a lasting impact, always stepping in where needed with grace and a positive attitude. Your friendly demeanor and steady presence have made our days brighter and our team stronger. Now, as your own family has received some very special deliveries, we completely understand and support your decision to embrace this next chapter. You've given so much to our community, and it's your turn to
026enjoy time with loved ones and create new memories. While we'll certainly miss you around here, we wish you joy and rest and many happy adventures again. And at this time, I'd like to invite Maricella and her whole entourage back there up. [Applause] Look at that new baby. [Applause] We can't compete with those babies, Marcel. I know. Next up, Miss Luciana Itto. We extend our deepest gratitude to Miss Luciana Itto for her years of exceptional service to the Littleton Elementary School District. As an educator, mentor, coach, and specialist, she has been a pillar of strength, knowledge, and dedication. Her unwavering commitment to excellence combined with her common place presence has made her a trusted resource and an invaluable support to staff and students alike. Missto has consistently gone above and beyond setting a high standard in
027inspiring those around her through professionalism, compassion, and expertise. Missto's contributions to public education are wide reaching, including her deep knowledge of curriculum in bilingual education, her skillful facilitation of professional development, and her commitment to lifelong learning, most le most recently demonstrated through her work teaching English to adults. Her investment in the success of others and in the community she serves is truly admirable. as she enters retirement. We hope it brings her the same fulfillment and joy she has shared with so many throughout her distinguished career. Thank you, Missito. You have made a lasting difference. [Applause] Wow, how nice. Congratulations to all of our retirees. You have a small token, just a symbol that your light will continue to shine on here at Littleton. And thank you for your service. Next up, Mr. Kellen. come tell
028us about our final season of athletics. This quarter we have girls volleyball, boys baseball and esports. That's our mission. The mission is to experience uh of the student athletes by providing a positive and supportive environment that offers sixth through 8th graders the opportunity to develop and grow physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially while enjoying the experience of athletic competition. Um yes. So here we had girls volleyball, esports, and boys baseball. We had one athletic coordinator, which is myself. We had seven site coordinators, eight assistant principles, two deans, and 33 coaches this quarter. That's our flyers for this quarter. Uh and then our champions. So first for girls volleyball, we have the country plays Mustangs. Coached by Anastasia Hans and Ashley [Applause] Z. We're working on a [Applause] One more picture. Congratulations. Uh, I'll do that after this.
029Yes. Um, for boys baseball, we have the Australia Vista Hawks, who's coached by Margaret Sawyer and Amy Young. [Applause] Congratulations. Congratulations. One, two, three. [Applause] Um, second quarter we had uh three teams play esports. This quarter we had six teams play. Um, so the champions of esports is also the country plays Mustangs. Coached by Daniel [Applause] Maynard. Congratulations. [Applause] Um, next would be our athletes of the season. Um, I don't know who's first. All right. So, first for athlete of the season for girls volleyball, we have Anna Teresa Cano. Um she she has [Music] shown she has shown great determination and dedication to the sport and to her team. She believes in improvement as she works so hard to get overhand serve even better. She is a positive and uplifting teammate who is always there
030to pump up her teammates with cheers and words of encouragement. Great job, Anna Teresa from your coaches. Congratulations. I got [Applause] For boys baseball, we have Moises Garcia Flores. Uh Moyes was the MVP for our team, not just because of his performance on the field, but also because of his attitude and work ethic. He was consistently respectful to coaches, teammates, and opponents. Always keeping a positive attitude and mindset. He never talked back or question what was asked of him, setting an example of discipline and maturity. He kept up his grades, made sure to keep coaches updated without being asked, showing responsibility, and taking accountability. At the plate, he was patient, disciplined, and got on base consistently. Defensively, he was also he was always alert and ready. He gave 100% effort in every play. He treated
031practice with the same level of seriousness as in a game. His dedication and respect for the game made him not only a role model for his teammates, but also an invaluable asset to the team. Congratulations, sir. And finally for esports we have Josiah Blakeenship. Your coach wrote, "I nominate Josiah Blankenship as the top gamer for the team. He he was always used for almost all tie breakers for our important playoff matches. In addition, he helped build the team up by giving advice on their gameplay and always sought to syn to synergize with the team. Josiah competed against the best game players of the district and was able to win those matches. I hope he tries out for the team next year. Congratulations, sir. [Applause] And that's it for quarter 4. Thanks for all the support
032that we got from everybody in the district. It's been appreciated. All right. Okay. Moving on to um item number eight. Do we have any call to the public? No. All right. Moving on to item number nine, consent agenda. Is there anything that needs to be pulled? If not, do I have a motion to accept the consent agenda? I have a motion to accept the consent agenda. Miss Stalard, is there a second? I'll second. Mr. Sinoseros. All in favor say I. I. I. Motion consent agenda passes. I was wrong in my timeline. If you do need to leave, please take this time now. If you have to cook dinner, do homework, any of those things. We'll take a few seconds. Okay. All right. Moving on to item number 10, public hearing on final expenditure budget. Mr.
033French. Thank you, President Soik, members of the governing board, Dr. Smith and Littleton community. Uh this evening, we'll be reviewing the first and last um budget revision for fiscal year 2425. All districts must revise their budget by May 15th per statute. Uh, this revision allows the district to capture any additional funds from growth over the course of the year or revise down to match the Department of Education's calculations. Since the budget adoption in July, the district has grown by 232 weighted average daily membership, which resulted in a substantial increase to the budget. The district also increased carry forward in the Mino budget from the prior fiscal year by $1.45 million. This happens because um when we adopt in July, we are not yet done with the old fiscal year. Um and we overestimated the expenditures
034that we would have in the prior fiscal year. So we get to capture that capacity in this fiscal year with the increased ADM growth and the district was also able to capture increased uh increased portion of the state allocation of Prop 123 money. Uh this increased the budget by $7,483. The total budget increase this evening is $2,448,484. This increase will help the district offset increased costs in spread in sped private placements, transportation for sped and mckin vento students, as well as increased utility costs that we saw districtwide. As with every budget and revision, the district has aligned the budget with the anticipated expenditures for this year and distributed that budget into the appropriate category and function. This evening, we're also revising the district additional assistance or DAA budget slightly. Since DAA allocations to school districts
035is based on prior year student counts, uh, and we knew what our ADM from 2324 was when we adopted the budget in July, the only budget adjustment that was needed to be made this evening was the increase in inc uh interest income acred at the account into the account at the county treasur's office. The district was able to capture an additional $16,06. At this point, I'd be happy to answer any questions from the board or the community. Is before we do board, is there any questions from the community? Okay. Any questions from the board? Um, thank you, Ryan. um for the when the solar um extra savings kick in that will go towards the Eminem I mean Eminem y got to get some laughs in M budget adjustments. Yeah, member Senator Sos that is correct.
036um when solar when we pay off the um the uh promisary note that we took out to pay for the solar um any additional funds that we were using to pay that will go into M to be able to use be able to use for salaries benefits or any anything else that is M eligible. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? I just have a quick question. Mr. French, can you tell me what DAA stands for, please? So, it's it stands for district additional assistance. Um, it is a fancy word for our capital budget. So, it's it's all of our things. Uh, M is is typically our people. Okay. Thank you, Mr. French. All right. Um, we're going to end the public hearing and now moving to item number 11, final revision of fiscal year 2024
0372025 expenditure budget. Mr. French. Thank you, President So Nick. At this point, um, I would recommend the board adopt the budget revision that was presented. Is there a motion to adopt the revised budget? I motion we adopt the revised budget. Miss Stallard. Is there a second? Second. Mr. Nielsen. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed. All right. Budget revision approved. Moving to item number 12, guaranteed maximum price. Mr. French. Thank you, President Sonick, members of the governing board, Dr. Smith, Littleton Community. Uh this evening we'll be reviewing the proposal from Chase building team on the guaranteed maximum price or the GMP for the operations building on the Littleton campus. Um Jim, if you will open up the uh item titled warehouse remodel. Um okay, thank you. When Littleton went out for the last bond
038in November of 23, the district identified this building as needing a renovation uh for the working space for the operation staff. This building is in severe need of an up of updating environmental controls, storage capacity, and an updated workspace for staff. Shortly after the bond passed, administration began walking the site with our architects to review the most pressing needs and how the building can be reconfigured to meet our objective. The plans have been submitted and approved by Avendale at um and at the last meeting the board approved the administration to begin negotiations with Chase building team um on the guaranteed maximum price. The GMP based on current market price of materials and the district scope of work is just over $1.2 million. Jim, if you scroll down, you'll they'll uh the board will be able
039to see that on the bottom line up a little up right there. Um, the administration plans on using the remaining bond funds as well as capital donations received by area developers to complete the project. So, we're not planning on using any M or capital funds uh to complete the renovation. I have reached out to an electrical company for an analysis of the potential for EV charging stations on site as requested by member Senoseros. Um, but as of this evening, I haven't received the analysis back. Um, in anticipation to the answer, administration thinks it would be prudent to add conduit in the parking lot uh from the operations building in case there is capacity. And this is something that we would pursue uh like to pursue in the future. If there is no capacity at the
040site, it would cost the district approximately a quart million dollars to upgrade the service at the school to be able to provide that service. if we look at the building plan. So Jim, if you can open up the other attachment for me, and I apologize, we don't have a rendering like we typically do with a new school. Um, it's just uh the building plans that were submitted to the city. Um, but if we take a look at the building plans, you will see the scope of work proposed by the district. First, on the left hand side of the plans, you'll see the addition of a mezzanine that will be approximately a thousand square feet. This will allow the district to take advantage of the vertical space in the building um and become more efficient with
041storage capacity. Underneath the mezzanine, uh you will see a new workspace, a break area, as well as an additional bathroom for staff. That's on the right hand side. Currently, there's this very small area at the operations building that is climate controlled with air conditioning. Uh, as the majority of the building is climate controlled with multiple swamp coolers. The plan of this renovation is to add air conditioning to approximately half of the building. Um, specifically to the work area, the break room, and the workshop area while they where the group will be doing the majority of their work. Uh there will still be approximately 2200 square ft on the north side of the building that will utilize swamp cooling, but this is going to be mostly for storage um of uh the green fleet, which is
042mostly our um lawnmowers and whatnot that we use for our grounds. The administration feels confident the proposed design design will meet the needs of our staff and we are recommending the board approve the GMP this evening which will allow us to develop a timeline for the project. I'd be happy to answer any questions the board has at this point. So just the timeline there Ryan the once it's approved then they can come back with the process and whatever they need to do. So we don't know how long it's going to take or when it come online tonight. U thank you for the question, Member Nielsson. Um once the board takes action this evening, I will be in contact with the contractor. Um they have put the costs in uh the GMP, they have reached out
043to subcontractors and so they know it's on the radar, but until the board takes action, they couldn't give me a timeline because they didn't know when to mobilize. But I can come back and probably provide it to uh Dr. Smith in an update to give you a timeline of when you might see construction on that campus. Thank you. Thank you, Ryan, as always. Um um for the information um did not know that there was majority no air cooling uh for this building. So, thank you for uh bringing that to our attention because I did not know that. I sometimes even forget that that little hidden area is there half the time when I'm at the Littleton campus. So, thank you. Um, I'm really excited to see uh this area revamped to be more modernized to
044meet the future standards. And, um, thank you for taking the time to look into the electric vehicles potential there. Um, and if they ever do get back to you, probably could just be in a board update. Yeah, I can do that as well. Okay. Thank you, Ryan. If there's no comments, I'll go ahead and move that the governor Moore approve the guaranteed maximum price to for the remodel of the maintenance and operation building. Mr. Nielsen, is there a second? I second. Miss Stallard. All in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Item passes. All right. Moving on to item number 13, fiscal year 2526 classroom site fund. The man of the hour, Mr. French. Thank you, President Sonik. I feel like I'm taking up too much time, so I would like to um invite Rob
045Mucil to the to the podium to um help me with this item this evening. Madame President, governing board, Dr. Smith and executive team. Tonight, I share with you a draft of the 2526 classroom site fund pay for performance plan. I would like to take a moment to thank the members of the LEAP committee uh for their work on the plan. If you're in attendance when I call your name, please stand and be recognized. Trevor Butler, Bertha Plaza, Cynthia Landis, Danielle Vanalen, Marissa Short, Mary Message, Steve Rickert, and Stacy Soman. The LEAP committee members reviewed the plan and recommended no changes to the goals or components of the plan. The only change I bring to you tonight is an increase in the base pay of component one of the plan from 50 I'm sorry from 5600
046to7100 an increase of $1,500. Mr. French previewed this increase when he brought the compensation recommendation to the April board meeting. This increase brings the plan component one to a total of $8,100. $1,000 being for professional development participation. Certified staff had the opportunity to vote on the increase. We received 149 responses and as you might anticipate, all votes supported the plan as presented. So based on this, tonight the administration is recommending the board approve the 25 2025 2026 classroom site fund pay for performance plan as presented. If you have any questions, I will answer them. I have to see the thing. I motion that we approve the revisions to the classroom site 301 fund for the 2025 2026 school year. Miss Stallard, is there a second? I'll second that, Mr. Nielsen. All in favor say I.
047I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. All right, moving on to item number 14. Thank you, Miss Mucil. Um, the director of curriculum and instruction recommendation, Mr. French. Thank you, President Sonick. I think uh Miss Mucil did such a great job. I'm going to bring her up again. Madame President, governing board, Dr. Smith, and executive team, tonight I am happy to share the administration's recommendation for the director of curriculum and instruction. Dr. Sui Ledette is an award-winning administrator with the ex with extensive experience in educational leadership. In her previous roles, she has significantly increased teacher retention, effectiveness, and over overall student academic achievement by implementing research-based instructional strategies and fostering positive learning environments. Dr. Liddette has held various leadership roles, including principal at Pine View Middle School and Trace Rios Elementary School, where she led initiatives
048that improved student engagement, reduced disciplinary incidents, and increased teacher satisfaction. She holds a PhD in curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University, two master's degrees, and a bachelor of arts degree. She has been recognized with numerous awards, as you can see listed, including middle school principal of the year, Louisiana State Finalist, and National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Magnificent 7 Principal. The administration is recommending the board approve Dr. Suhi Ledette for the director of curriculum and instruction. and she is here tonight. If you would like her to come up after um the vote. I motion that the governing board approve Dr. Suhi Ledette for the position of director of curriculum and instruction starting on July 1st, 2025. Is there a second? I'll second that. Mr. Neielson. All in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed?
049Motion passes. Congratulations. I believe here. Would you like to come up and introduce yourself? Yeah. Good evening, members of the board, Madame President, members of the board, superintendent, um, Lefit, and Dr. uh Smith and executive team and the little Little Littleton elementary school district community. I thank you so much for having me back on board. Um 12 years ago when I stood before you to accept the role as principal at uh Threst Rios, I had to leave um two years after starting my principal ship, moved out of state to um be with my husband and um this year I brought him here. We moved from Louisiana, I brought him here, so I'm not going anywhere for a very long time. Um, and I am proud to say that I am so honored to be part
050of a school district I loved so very much and as I told Dr. Lefit, I felt an absolute void when I had to leave early in my tenure. Um, that which I hope to be able to fulfill and um, finish what I started with the curriculum instruction department, make it even better than it is today. So, um, if you have any questions, um, or anything I can add to my acceptance, I would, um, entertain that idea this moment. Mr. Seras, thank you so much. And, um, welcome back to Littleton. I went to Trace Rios in 2012, so I can't remember. That was what 13 years ago almost, so I think a little bit after you left. Um, and it's a beautiful, vibrant community. So, welcome back to our school district. Um, big shoes to fill,
051Dr. Defi, Dr. Uh, FI was personal favorite of mine. So, um, I look forward to see what you do with the department. I hope to make you proud. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Moving on to item number 15, preschool program updates. Dr. Hay. Thank you, Madam President, members of the board. The item tonight has two parts. Uh first you will see a small snapshot of the impact of your actions as you voted for all community members regardless of income status to be able to attend Littleton preschool programs last spring. At the end of the presentation, we'll be um asking you to consider taking action on pricing for the 202526 school year. So I would like you to welcome Mrs. and Catelyn, director of early learning, to share why our programs earned their
052very first ever four-star rating this year. Miss Catelyn, thank you. Good evening, President um board members, executive team, Dr. Smith, and our Littleton community. I'm honored to share about our Littleton preschool program and exciting developments for the 202526 school year. Our preschool program for next year will include five all-day preschool classrooms spanning three of our campuses, two four-year-old classrooms, which will be full day, and we also have one three-year-old classroom with AM and PM sessions, as well as two multi-age developmental preschool classrooms with AM and PM sessions. Our vision is empowering the future of our Littleton community through early learning excellence. Our mission is to support the optimal development and growth of our children, our families and our community. During, you know, as we know, our first five years of life are crucial for brain
053development. During this period, the brain underos the most rapid growth of our lifetime and forms the foundation for our cognitive, emotional, and social skills. That's lifelong. Our plan to realize our vision is to ensure that early learning for all happens in a community-based classroom setting. The community classroom model creates a supportive inclusive community atmosphere where children can thrive both academically and socially. Therefore, we are proud to announce that in the 2526 school year, our three, four, and prek classrooms will all adopt the community classroom model. The community classroom model is an innovative approach to early childhood education that emphasizes play-based learning, inclusivity, and social development, and also family and community engagement. Research shows that this model significantly, excuse me, enhances kindergarten readiness for all children. Community preschool benefits all children, both typically developing and students
054with special needs. The benefits specifically to typically developing children are greater empathy and understanding, enhanced problem solving skills as they learn differing learning styles and needs, improved social skills, and benefits to our children with special needs are enhanced social skills, improved academic outcomes as they have exposure to the same curriculum and learning environment that leads to better academic performance and readiness for school. They also experience increased self-esteem according to research. We are celebrating click the next one our um preschool pre kindergarten and kindergarten beginning of the year data. So, in early literacy, over 90% of our students as of April, so we're still having May, we haven't we don't have our final data, but 90% of our students have mastered the early learning standards um for literacy, which includes letter standards um for the state
055of Arizona. In early numeracy, over 90% of our students have mastered numeracy standards. And I want to share that over 50% of our students have gone beyond and are exceeding both early literacy and numeracy standards. So they're getting ready. They're ready to go now, but we have one more month. So we're super excited to see what they can do in closing. Also, I wanted to share with you that our Littleton PreK students perform 17% higher than their peers not attending Littleton preschool on the beginning of the year kindergarten readiness skills assessment. So we're on our way. We have some programs that we started just this year and we're excited to see where that will go. So, I'd like to invite you right now to please enjoy this video of our pre preschool program mission in
056action. Our mission is to support the optimal learning and development of the children, families, and Littleton community we care for and serve. We are deeply passionate about our mission because we understand the first five years of life are the most critical period for brain development in our entire lifetime. When they come in, almost all of the students come in knowing not all their letters, let alone sounds. Um so throughout the year they it's easy for them to grasp it. Um some grasp lower case faster, some graas uppercase faster. Uh but the goal is for the end of the year they grasp it all. In our Littleton PreK program, we engage in what we call walk tolearn. The walk tolearn program is an innovative practice that ensures that all students are getting what they need to
057advance their learning when they need it. is once they go to Kinder, we actually have kids um that are in our Walk toLearn program. The ones that really know every single letter, name, and sound. Um they create words now and and it's simple CBC words like cat, dog, and they just need simple words and sounds to blend it together and they know now they've created a word which helps them eventually read. And I believe that preschool benefits our students a lot. First, it helps them with their social and emotional skills before coming into school, learning how to play with others. Um, there's lots of educational moments through play. So, learning through play is super beneficial. And then then when they get here, they have a little more structure, but they're ready for kindergarten and the
058things that are necessary to be successful in kindergarten. In preschool, it helps them with their fine and gross motor skills. And they have exposure to reading and writing and some math skills, so they come in pretty prepared and ready to go and be ahead of the game for kindergarten. from from where he was till now, he's like been so good. Like he know how to act, um how to share, how to listen, not to cry about everything. He's been doing so good and they helped him a lot. I am a parent of a former preschool student. She's in kinder garden right now. Uh I feel that the preschool program helps um children to different aspects in their lives. Uh one of the ones that I really noticed with my daughter was social skills. She learned
059to um share um take turns. In our prek program, we implement the program heard. It is a program that engages students in phenevic awareness. It's working with the three different schools or three different programs here mainly, you know, the Littleton district and us Catholic Charities, Westside Headstart. We um we help the families cuz a lot of our we start meets families that are low income uh the most vulnerable. So having a program that like Littleton that works directly with us that can give us so many different resources, we are able to impact our families in a way that they never, you know, would receive if they wasn't a part of it. Research indicates that this model significantly enhances kindergarten readiness for all students. We will continue to emphasize play-based learning as our developmentally appropriate approach
060to early education. Learning through exploration and discovery helps children develop critical thinking skills, creativity, and a love of learning that will serve them lifelong. I just want to close with saying, never before has a saying, it takes a village been more true. Together, we can ensure that every child in our Littleton learning community receives the best possible start to their educational journey. And if you have any questions, I'd like to answer them. Now, I just want to say as a grandparent to a student that goes to Lake PreK, I have seen a huge difference in his academics, um his behavior, um his sharing skills. So, um it's amazing like this is an amazing program and thank you. Thank you. Our teachers do great work. I too would like just to make a comment as a
061as a grandparent. Uh, I've got five grandkids, six grandkids that are in the KK and whatever and just the change that they've seen in their lives and I don't know I went down to the service academy for that u opportunity and I jumped around with the kindergarten kids and I don't know who taught this little boy but we were in we went and visited four or five things and came back to the home room and I was standing up by the teacher there and he came over pulled my leg brought a chair over by his desk and came and told me to sit down and then he had some fruit snacks there with him and he gave me two fruit snacks to share with him. So that education is a marvelous thing just with the
062kids the thoughtfulness the kindness whatever that doesn't see you know don't see that numbers or letters or anything else I have a granddaughter who learned to write her name with five straight lines until she learned one was an O one was an L and L and a V. that it started out just what I I really appreciate the presentation and and what we are doing here to help these little kids become leaders for the future. Thank you for saying that. It does take all of us. Just wow. I mean how big our program has grown. Um back when I was a kid, I would have never had the opportunities our preschool kids get today um in our in our own communities. So, it's amazing to see just how much and how fast the prechool program
063has grown in our district. Um, and I know that there at the federal level there's a lot of controversy with Head Start. So, um, doesn't have to be now, but I think in the future it would be nice to know like how much of our preschool fund relies on Head Start and how do we handle that if that possibly ever goes away or if it stays, which is fine. That work needs to be done. But um thank you to all the work, especially as our director of early learning. So thank you. And we'll bring that information back to you. We're all trying to figure it out right now. Yeah. Thank you so much. Thank you. Um I guess my question is I I mean preschool's an amazing program. I wish it had been here when
064my kids were of age and you're doing amazing things. My question though is while I'm never opposed to getting more money, why are we increasing the tuition? Like is it inflation? Is it something else? Cuz I'm just curious. Like did we already vote to increase it? I don't think we did it. No, we're going to go back. I'm Am I jumping the gun? I apologize. That's okay. So, thank you. Madame President, members of the board, and member Senoseros, thank you for bringing up the things that we're um going to ask you to take action on this evening. So, one of the things that we have considered is the funding. Uh, we have uh several hundred,000 allocated to us from the state through the PDG grant. Um, that was one of the things um that allowed
065us to continue full day, but also the board allowed us to charge tuition to families who would not be able uh to attend those classes. So last year when we presented the information to you, we looked at the cost from surrounding districts and we sort of spit balled about how much it would cost us to supplement our programs uh through M funds. Um which grants we have some special education funds that are used. Um and we came up with the $500 which matched Aendale I believe. So just uh last week we were able to pull the FY2526 or sorry FY26 funds from the surrounding school districts as they have been taking action. And so the attachment that I have here for you tonight is a comparison of the half-day programs and the full day programs.
066So if I listed a program on one side and not the other, it just means that that district doesn't have that program. Um, so with the increase, and I do realize that $75 and $150 is a significant increase to families, one change that we have is that we are now um now qualify for dees subsidies, which would they actually cover about double that um in reimbursement. And so it's it's not just the scholarships that we've been giving to our families in the past. Um but families actually are able to get reimbursed for this cost. So that's one piece. The other one is we are forecasting that our PDG funds will expire December 30th of this year and we can't count on getting them again. So I've worked very closely with Mr. French and Mrs. fusil
067um to say we're going to frontload all those PDG grant funds in the first half of the year so then we can cover the back half of the year to make sure that our kids have continuous learning and care through fiscal year 26 um and then as annually we'll have to come back and take a look at this but this helps us basically break even um as we continue our programs um we have such a high interest there is a highlight likelihood we're going to have to add more classes, but those will come from adding um the additional tuition to the half day and full day program. Um so, as you can see, we are right in the ballpark and still on the low end. And as I said, I do realize that this is
068an increase for families, which is why we're trying to get out ahead of it. Thank you, Dr. Hay. So just for clarification, are you saying that the parents potentially can get reimbursed for it or are you saying that there's more grants and more things that would just kind of consolidate it all together so they wouldn't even have to come out of pocket in the first place? Um both member Bernett, thank you so much. I'm looking at my calculator. So last night I was looking to see if I turned in child care um to dees. You have to make application for that and we're now an approved provider. So we can help parents with that as well. It is an incredible amount of red tape, I will tell you. And uh Mrs. Catelyn has done a
069great job sifting through through that. So potentially, if I am reading their very complicated paper correctly, a family could be reimbursed $1,260 per child um in reimburseable. So that's per month. So they actually reimburse by the day. That's 20 days, which is on average what we see a child every month. So that far exceeds the $650. Then some of our families will have scholarship funds um available to them and then some will choose just to pay. I know Mrs. Catelyn has told me several stories. They're like, I don't want to wait for a scholarship. I just want to pay income. And so we've processed through um quickly on that. U Thank you for the information. Um, would it be helpful, doesn't have to be at this meeting, but in a board update, could we know
070the percentage of families that pay out of pocket fully with no scholarship funds or anything and the percentage of our enrollment families that do pay with grant funds and don't have to pay for it. I think that just be helpful data to keep us in mind as we increase the cost of it. Yes, member Senos's happy to provide that to Dr. Smith so he can put that in an update. Um, we did receive the dees subsidy late in the year. It took us quite a bit of time to get through their programs, through their cuts and everything. So, we did not have that available to us at the beginning of the year. So, we think that impacted our numbers as far as filling all the slots, but now there's a huge waiting list in the
071queue. Mrs. Catelyn and some of Mrs. Garrison's team are trying to shift uh sift through, but we'll definitely um do that. and just know that I believe the numbers will increase. Something that I would like to see is if there's any way possible for our staff if they have students that they would like to put in this program if we could look into maybe reducing tuition for them or something like that. Um, not that it has to happen for next year. I'm just putting it out there as something that I would like to see as an added benefit for our staff if they have students who are four and five and maybe could get a scholarship or something to help supplement that. Um, Madame President, members of the board, that's an excellent idea. We have
072looked at that in the past, sent out a survey. So, I uh will work with Mrs. Mucus who works on the working conditions committee um and see what the interest is and then I can also gather some data from surrounding districts and find out what their cut is for that and then the board would need to vote on that for a benefit. But I'm happy to do that. I think yeah, I would second that. I think that's a good idea. Um it allows people who work within our um even if they're an employee of our district and they live in the community to actually send their kids here. Um cuz I know child care is extremely expensive. So if we can make that as an initiative to maybe a little bit of a benefit for
073people to come here who are younger who have kids typically um that'd be really helpful to see. I benefited from it in my previous district through the high school that they have. So Okay. And then I think too like it'd be nice to added to see like the amount of like what are the facilities or like benefits that are different from district to district neighboring because I think like for example our preschool wasn't always the best and like I mean it has massively amazing facility now um based on the enrollment numbers per district and the benefits that they get from going to district to district if that makes sense. Yes, member Senator Sos. Thank you. We can definitely consider that and get some information out. Um, I would like to again thank the board for
074their commitment to our early learners. Um, it is the biggest and best investment for future growth that we won't see quite yet as the testing years come along. Um so with that, um the administration is recommending that the board approve our recommendation for tuition rates of $325 for the half-day program and $650 for the full day program for the 202526 school year. Is there a motion? I'll motion that the um governing board approve the recommendation for the early learning program tuition rates of 325 for the half day program and 650 for the full day program for the 2526 school year. I'll second Miss Bernett and Mr. Seneros. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Moving on to item number 16, 2526 parent student handbook. Miss Garrison. Madame President, governing board, thank you
075for allowing some time tonight to give an overview of the 2526 handbook. This parent student handbook has been created as a valuable resource for our families and serves as our contract with the community. It outlines what we expect from our students as families as well as what they can expect from the district in return. Our goal is to foster we good. Thank you. Strong partnerships rooted in clear communication and shared understanding. This handbook is designed to clarify and streamline our processes and procedures so that we can work more efficiently and focus our efforts where they matter most, supporting student success. We've organized it with a table of contents, hopefully making it simple uh to find answers to common questions and guidance on important topics. It sounds simple, but I assure you the process is pretty
076comprehensive. The formal timeline for this handbook, you're good right there, Jim. Um, review kicks off in January and starts with principles being asked to solicit feedback from their leadership teams, site council, PTSA, student groups, and secretaries. Simultaneously, the rest of the administrative team is asked to read sections and submit feedback based on legislative action or lessons learned. The parent advisory committee and executive team also weigh in. This year, there were several recommendations made and a committee came together to first see if the changes would require policy change and then weigh in on whether to accept or reject recommendations. The committee this year consisted of assistant principles, deans, two secretaries, the IT director, the public information officer, a student achievement coach, and Atossa. If you submitted or weighed in on the changes for this year's handbook,
077please stand up to be recognized. We're pretty slim pickings out here, but but thank you. What I learned during these marathon conversations is we could get to agreement as to whether we wanted the change or not, but the word smithing when you have lots of passionate educators is what takes longer. So there were not significant changes that would require poly uh policy changes submitted this year but um it was a pretty rigorous process and there was some great dialogue as this was happening. Unveiling the cover and theme is always one of the my one of my most favorite parts of this process. So let's take a look. Each year a new cover is designed and a theme is developed. Thank you to Mr. Buzzman and his team for this colorful idea and for being flexible
078as he incorporated suggestions from our stakeholders. Appreciation also goes to Dr. Lefit who helped develop this theme. As typical, we look forward to using the theme throughout the year and you'll see us um appear at the kickoff when we uh have our our big event and then you'll see it throughout the year. So, on to the changes. The review process happened over the last five months because this book has been vetted for years now. There were minimal changes and I'd like to say, oh, you know, it was all of my brilliance, but it was not. There were predecessors before me and groups before me that have worked to develop this over almost two decades now. There were some minimal changes. There were some clarifications of wording based on feedback that didn't change the content and
079nothing significant enough to visit policy. Um, cal although we did hear some things that may be coming down the pike just yesterday. Calendars and contacts are always updated and really we ask a lot of people to look at it because it's so easy to miss something. So many eyes make sure we have the current information. Example, there's a board meeting schedule in there, there's school hours, there's instructional calendars and we just ask for lots of eyes to look for the routine type updates. So content changes started on page two and I've outlined these in the presentation here. We updated the hours for our late start schools to aligned with the approved governing board start time. So there was a change there. On page seven, we added the requirement about having to withdraw students after 10
080consecutive unexcused absences. Now this comes as a result of families questioning why their students were withdrawn. So we wanted to start the explanation that people have to understand that the department of education is tasked with ensuring that um laws applying to schools are implemented implemented and that we can be compliant during an audit. So we must we're required to withdraw students to avoid collecting ADM on truent students. Make sense? They don't show up for 10 days. We don't know where they are. We must withdraw them. So we so we clarified that a little bit. On page 13, at the end of the first paragraph of the food service section, a link was added at the suggestion of a parent to make it easier to communicate dietary information. So if you need to tell food service
081about some accommodations that your child need, you can click there. We also added a sentence about not receiving food deliveries. And this was really in response to door dashes that have started showing up at our schools. This is a new and unique issue on page 14. And wherever the replacement cost for the license to learn student ID was referenced, the cost was changed from $5 to $6 throughout the book. Um, on page, where are we now? What's your preference? It's you're presenting. Okay, let's do it at the end to make sure I don't hit it. Okay. Excellent. Okay. On page 18, to keep up with developing technologies, language was changed to to say wearable technologies. Instead of trying to say uh your smartwatch, your cell phone, your Bluetooth earbuds, and all those things, your your
082meta glasses, right? We said wearable technologies. it was changed to wearable technologies or other electronic devices instead of trying to list them all and not know what's going to be developed next year. These are all the things that students need to have off and out of sight during the school day. Cell phones, iPads, Metaglass, smartwatches, um anything they could use to order Door Dash need to be off. Now, House Bill 2484 that we just learned about talks about student access to wireless communication devices. It created a new state law requiring school district to adopt policies and procedures to limit the use of wireless communication devices during the school day. Um, specifically calls out access to social media networks. So, we can expect to hear more about this. This is fresh fresh off off the press.
083But as far as the handbook goes, we added a statement sharing the expectation that students and parents communicate through the front office during the school day. See how this is related? If your cell phone is supposed to be off and out of sight during the school day, parents should be going through the office and kids should be going through the office to communicate because the phone should be off. We added some language regarding guidelines for the use of AI under behavior expectations and student technology. Our social workers worked on a guide to help students understand terms associated with student conduct and safety. And linked to this work has been added to the handbook for early access for our families. And the last piece is a reference to clarification to chronic illness procedure. We had a
084teamwork on documenting this process and based up what based on what we learned, we just cleaned up the language on page 34. Um once now that the board has seen this, it is our intention I flipped Jim. Um it will be available through the the the handbook itself will be available through the parent portal and as part of the annual verification process which we will be starting very soon. It the handbook is also available on our website and there is also a uh paper copy that will be available on request and one of the things that I failed to say was it has been translated into Spanish as well. Um, and it will we will have printed copies so that if people need them, we can pence them up. Now, I will answer any questions
085or comments. Anyone any board members have comments before I start? I just um just for clarification with the increase of the cost from 5 to $6, I can't remember and I I could just it could just slip my mind. Did we vote on that? We wanted it to be $6 because I know $5 is problematic for a lot of students for the IDs replacement. Um, I don't think that's a Help me out here, Mr. French. The price of the badge replacement doesn't come to the board typically. Okay. Uh, not typically, nor does the increase in cost. We're all we're doing is passing through the cost. So, we've seen an increase in the lanyard cost, the the badge itself, the uh protective cover. Um the district doesn't make money on this. Uh but through the handbook,
086we do want it to be uniform because we did identify that some schools were charging different amounts. So, that's why we're um calling it out um in the handbook. So, all schools are uniform. Okay. Thank you for that clarification. Um, for the increase, this could be another board update item. Um, could we get the amount of money families pay and overall per year on badge replacements and then could stagger it by fiscal year to see how much it costs annually for badge replacements. Um, I think that'd be good data to know just how much our families are paying on replacements and how many kids are losing their IDs. I think my brother's lost three maybe last school year. So Oh, my son beats all of you. We've replaced about two a month. So, oh, and
087then um could we also know other districts who do this neighboring? Do they have the same cost as us for badges, replacements? What's the cost? And how do they cover that? Is that all families or do they pay for a portion of it? All right. Um, one thing that I had a question about with the food service um, change, this does not stop the nurse or food services from giving my daughter or any of those students who have food allergies the paper at the end of the school year because I need that paper to get signed and I I will not remember to go get a link and print it. Yes. Uh, Madame President, excellent question. It's an addition to Okay. not a replacement of it was just parents said, "Hey, can you put the
088the link where if I want to go tell?" So, yes, in addition to not a replacement, I do commend our nurses and cafeteria staff for handing those papers out to students that last week. So, then it's like in our faces as parents like I have to get this signed before school starts. Um, all right. And then my other thing I'll wait for later. Thank you. Any other comments? I did have one more question. So, just to be clear, um the handbook is no longer going to be automatically given like a hard copy. It's going to be if they request a hard copy, otherwise it's just going to be digital. Madame President, member Barnett, correct? For the last few years, it has been mostly digital. Okay. upon request you can have one and um but they
089we acknowledge during the annual verification process and um they can get it through the parent portal and of course on the website. Would it be possible or or is it like fiscally not sound for us to have automatically the paper copies? I know we have a lot of parents who are enrolling their students who are maybe not very technologically savvy. Um, one of member Barnett, one of the things we have done our new parents, we do hand them out. Yes. Thank you. Yes. And then many of us carry them around all year and mark them up and it ends up looking like this. So when we go to review, we remember. Great question. Thank you. Okay. Um, and then for the lovely uniform jackets, um, was there a reason we said no stripes or stripes,
090patterns? No patterns. Did we? Our last board last year, we just said solid colors. Solid colors. We did say solid colors. Okay. So, no two colors. Has to be a solid color. The discussion we had was solid colors. I'm again I'm not opposing anything we're saying. I'm just saying last board meeting we said or last time we reviewed this. Okay. Opened it up to any which was Yep. any solid color which was identified in the handbook. Okay. Thank you. Um that was information only. So, moving on to item number 17, ASBA 2026 proposed political agenda. Um, Dr. Smith, do you want to start this off? I could. Uh, thank you. Uh, I board members, I just give a little introduction. The Arizona School Board Association has initiated the process for developing its political agenda for
091the 26 206 legislative session. While the 2025 session has not yet concluded, they need to start early to meet the necessary timeline. Uh so they're seeking input from governing boards because it ensures that their political agenda reflects the diverse needs and priorities of our communities. Therefore, our board is being asked to review the current 2025 ASBA political agenda and reaffirm Littleton's district's top five priorities. Additionally, board members may submit new or revised priorities they would like the legislative committee to conclude in the 26 ASBA political agenda. The priorities must reflect the collective input from of the board. The board may submit up to five priorities and two optional additional considerations. Once submitted, these proposals will be compiled and provided to the ASBA legislative committee for evaluation. The committee will create a draft document that will
092be circulated to all governing boards and superintendents. This draft agenda will serve as the basis for discussion and final approval of the official delegate assembly on Saturday, September 6th. At this point, I will defer to Miss uh Dh President Soek, sorry, to lead the discussion on any changes to the board's political uh priorities. Thank you for your attention and thoughtful contributions. Um, okay. So, I don't know if any other board members have struggled to pull up the political agenda, but um if you are looking on our thing, the two attached docu PDFs don't show up for me. Um but if you go down to supporting links or there's a paper copy even better. Um so for us on the dis you can see the 2025 um political agenda in September. Typically I have gone in
093the past though it is open to any board member who we want to nominate. We go and write the political agenda for the next year. Um, so they're just looking for if there's something that we would like to add or change or like a new topic do we want to address or feel that needs to be looked at maybe with what's currently happening um in our political climate. So this is our time to kind of tell the legislative committee of ASBA what we think that they should start considering to address. Okay, gone through it. Thank you, Amy. Um I will say typically this the headings and the topics do not change year to year. we kind of go in um and look at it. You can see what Littleton has said in this past one.
094And then our sheet is what I take to delegate assembly and say this is what Littleton believes and I cater my votes towards that. Um, I think most of them are pretty. I know we added last year some stuff to diversity in our first one in terms of our student population and staff. So, Madame President, these are the five that we were making a suggestion on in the past. You take these five and the other districts and everything else, they get conglomerated together. So, how many of ours have been incorporated or is this the same feeling for all the districts? Yeah, we submit something like this. Okay. All the districts do. The legislative committee for ASBA reads them over and creates a proposed agenda. Then in September, delegates from as many districts as possible who
095get nominated to be there um go and we debate, agree, vote until we create one concise political agenda for the lobbyists of ASBA. So everything in the past has fallen under these headings. adequately and equitably fund district schools. Preserve respect and strengthen local control. Improve opportunities and outcomes for all students. Require public accountability and transparency for taxpayer dollars. Arizona rules um Arizona rule and remote schools safety, school safety and security and federal advocacy have kind of been the headings that were created. And then underneath we have all those sub parts. I'm I'm reading through school safety and security and I don't think the first half of it doesn't really trying to think like what relates to Littleton. I don't feel like the first half of it really relates to us. We have very modern up-to-date
096facilities in our district. Um I don't know how the rest of the board feels about that, but I feel like I I agree. I think the last part of it is really good, but I think the first top feels like more of a statewide issue rather than like a Littleton issue. That's just what I'm thinking going through it. I agree. Yeah. Yeah. You have we're for we're very fortunate to have very nice school facilities in our district. So, Marcus, just so I'm clear, you think up until what? like the first sentence the second I'm just I guess tell all are all inequitable inequitable inequitable inadequate all right so what I'm hearing from the board is maybe we want to strike that part from our personal priorities list. President Oshnik, I know this is a board
097discussion, but do you mind if I chime in? Please give us any information you can. So, um I think member Senos is absolutely correct is that we do have modern designed um school safety is at the forefront of the district, but that is not because the state funded it. is because of local taxpayers uh bond dollars that have the local taxpayer has passed as well as the capital override. Um and so I would agree um that we do have um above average facilities but it's not because the state has uh funded that in any way. Thank you Ryan. So with this information from Ryan would be like to keep those first few sentences or strike them. I think overall whoever is our delegate kind of knows that any money we can get to improve our
098facilities from the state we would take. I feel like um it's kind of a tricky one. Personally, I feel like yes or maybe we can shorten it to a certain extent like you believe that the state but to clarify I think what you're saying is that you feel like that's kind of those that sentence is a misrepresentation of a issue we don't have. Is that what you're saying? Basically. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I I'm not against having it in there. I'm just saying like that's the one that catches my eye of what really actually relates to us. I'm not opposed to striking it or keeping it in there. I think that our community we have they've always voted so far, knock on wood, for our bonds and our overrides and things like that. So, um they've
099made sure our facilities are amazing. Um so maybe just that remove that first sentence so it would no longer say schools were not design um designed to deter intrusion. So state facility standards have been wfully inadequate for today's state's expectation and it would just start saying that building renewals is wfully underfunded because that is true. Yeah. So just that first sentence that sounds fine to me. Sounds good. Any other discussion about any of these? I feel like in the first one, um, funding is, you know, funding is very very important, but I feel like a way to add, I know we have like we have equality and equitable in our most of our statements, but we don't really have anything here that really like calls on the legislature to recognize the diverse community that we
100serve and as it relates to DEI. Um, I'm just trying to think of how we could possibly add something like that. Um, because I know DEI more than ever is extremely um under attack as of right now from the state and federal level. Um, so I'm trying to think of a way how could we add something similar to that into what section or it'll probably based on what you're saying that makes sense. Probably be section five because that section speaks of um improving outcomes for all students. Maybe that would be the section that might go in because that first section is just saying adequately and equitably fund the school districts. So just saying that all the schools, you know, should be equally. So maybe that last the fifth one. Yeah. So something like recognize the
101diverse communities that public schools serve. Yeah. I'm just throwing words out right now like I'm not or I guess each public school district each public school district has a very different community and it's important that we recognize ones that have very diverse communities. Some things on those lines. Oh, I'm going I'm going through our goals. is going through our goals because this is what we submit to ASDA. Um, so recognize a diverse community. I'm sorry, Marcus. I'm trying to I'm trying to work with it for you. I don't move it around. Yeah. construction of people. So, Madam President, do you want to come up with something tonight or maybe we take this and come home and maybe make some changes and get them back to your superintendent? The deadline. The deadline is early June. So,
102this would have to be if we would like to make a change or a dramatic change, it would we'd have to submit it before our next meeting. Okay. So that's kind of why I'm looking for guidance or ideas with this discussion. Thank you. If we're if it is not a huge consideration for the majority of the board, then now I'm thinking we can you know this is just a discussion item. If we want to change things would be something like recognizing the diversity of our community and the support. Yeah, that's what I was just thinking right now. So maybe on this I guess it would be the prior to the last sentence instead of saying support the policies um that protect school district employees, it would start off saying recognizing the diversity of our community,
103support policies that protect school district employees. phone like that. Recognizing the diversity recognizing that diversity, equity, and inclusion is a priority in our district. We're prioritizing prioritizing prior priority in our district to support policies that protect school district employees and students from discrimination. I think it's it's it's in there, but I think it's important to say like we believe Um, so my concern is while I believe all of that, my concern is making a statement like that feels like I'm at two different I'm I'm have two different points of view here. My point of view as a person is yes for everything you're just saying and saying those words and saying that we believe it. My other frame of mind is being responsible for the running of the district and handling all the funds and
104things. Financially, that feels like a red flag for someone to come onto our district and start to investigate and disrupt if we were to make that statement. And that's just my concern. I know that other districts have made stands and I think that's wonderful, but I don't feel like we have the finances to do that. I personally would feel more comfortable with saying like something to the effect of recognizing the diversity of our community and leaving the equity and inclusion as a key phrase catchphrase out. But I am open to whatever the other board members would like to say. What is this recognizing? We recognize the diversity of our community and support policies that protect school district employees and students. I 100% would be comfortable with that. I just worry about putting in diversity, equity,
105and inclusion because that is that catchphrase that tends to get people very worked up about. Anyone else have anything to add? Okay. [Music] Um, Ada, do we need to repeat that for you? I'm wanting to make sure you have it. We recognize the diversity of our community and support policies that protect school district employees and students and Yes, Madame President and members of the board, if it's okay with you, we could follow the procedure that we have done in prior years, which is once um based on the minutes and your discussion, make the corrections to that document and it goes to you before it's submitted to um ASBA. I think that sounds good. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Ada. Um all right, item number 18. Um there is there I have to have a motion
106but there is something I need to read here first. Um is there a motion to adjourn into executive session? It's there's not a motion listed. Ada Okay. I that's just not on my Oh, I'm not signed in. I Okay. All right. So, um I will move that the governing board recess into special meeting and retire recess the special meeting and retire for executive session pursuant to ARS 38431.03A3 03A3 for the purposes of discussion or consultation of for legal advice with the attorney or attorneys of the public body regarding federal guidance of title nine the federal education rights and privacy act protection of people rights act and required attestations from the Arizona department of education and the United States department of education and related issues. Is there a second? I'll second. Marcus. All in favor? I
107I I. We are recess into executive session at 7:52. There may be there will be action afterwards. There's going to be papers to Okay, I am going to move us back into our regular board meeting at 8:47. We have item number 19. Um, approval of attestation. Is there a motion? I move and authorize administrators to take any action necessary to resend the title six assurance submitted to the Arizona Department of Education for the reason that the February 14th, 2025 dear colleague letter and related February 28th, 2025 FAQs on which the title 6 assurance is based on and joined from enforcement by the department by the United States Department of Education based on court orders issued in the United States District Courts. of New Hampshire, Washington DC, and Maryland. I'll second. Miss Barnett. Um, I'm going
108to call for a roll call vote. Madam President, can we explain our vote? Okay. Okay. Yeah, that's why I wanted a roll call to explain your vote. Yeah. Mr. any serious diversity, equity, and inclusion is the backbone of the Littleton community. And I believe in that. Um, when I was a student at West Point High School, I didn't know this until my government teacher told me, Miss Flores, it was in the wake of Jim Crow and Brown beef versus war education. We here in our own community had our own little brown board of education back in the 60s and 50s. Um, Hispanic and Latinos in the city of Tulsen when they had their segregated schools had to drink out of horse wells for water. And I only share that story because that is the history
109of our community. And I think back to all my ancestors, the people who fought for the rights we all have today. And so doing the right thing is always first for me and I know it is for the community I serve. And so I'll be voting I Mrs. Bernett. Um, so I'm going to be brief because I think um Marcus said everything that needed to be said as the only um African-American member of the district um and a graduate of a Hampton University which is historically black college and university and knowing the history that we have um I don't think this is going to stand and I feel confident in the fact that we should be on the right side of history. So for that reason I vote yes. Miss St. Nay. Mr. Nielsson and
110I'm Ben. Mrs. Sasha Nick. Um, so I just before going to executive session said I did not want to add the words equity inclusion into our political agenda because while I fundamentally like those words, appreciate those words, believe in the concepts of those words, I didn't feel like we had as a district the ability to potentially lose money because we're embracing those words. Um, and I was uber I was super cautious trying to figure out how I felt about this. Um, and I appreciate the conversations that have been had because they reminded me that we do have to stand for our students and I'm going back and forth. But I feel like I am going to be a I for this in um nullifying the signature. So motion passes 3 to2. Moving on to item
111number 20. I do have something that I need to say before we move into f future agenda items. I'd like to remind everyone that under the Arizona open meeting law, this portion of the agenda is limited to briefly suggesting topics for a future agenda. Discussion, debate, or direction to staff of matters not listed on the agenda is not permissible. We stay within these legal boundaries to ensure transparency and compliance with Arizona statutes ARS 38431.02H. O2H. Is there any future agenda items? Okay. Um, wait. I do. Um, I had sent an email about it. I want to know when tax credits. So when people like you donate to the schools like the tax credit money and they don't specify like it's supposed to go to field trips or like first grade something or whatever, who decides
112how that money is used? So if I donate $500 say to EV and I don't designate where it goes, who decides what that money can be used for? If um if I might uh would it be appropriate if we provide that answer in a weekly update? Is that okay? Oh yeah, that'd be great. Thank you. Um my future Okay. My future agenda item may not even be an agenda item. It might just be a suggestion. I know that we have passed future year's calendars um as a board and like next year's calendar isn't on on our school website and I know that we've passed it and I'm so grateful that some of our administrators have sent it out via Remind but maybe if we could get at least next year's calendar for like start date
113and end date and vacations that would be amazing because I was trying to plan my summer and I realized that it wasn't on the website. We can we can do that. Thank you. Oh, and I would love to have a conversation of what is wearable technology and what that constitutes. I know as the parent of a sixth grader, I'm having a lot of conversations about that at home and that's spreading amongst her sixth grade friends. Um, and so maybe we could have a future meeting item about it like what does it mean legally? What does it mean for us as a district in what is a permissible and not? Thanks. Okay. All right. Moving on to item number 20. Is there a motion for adjournment? I'll move that we adjourn our meeting tonight. Neielen, is
114there a second? I'll second Mr. Seris. All in favor say I. I is adjourned at 8:54. We have lots of signatures and there's lots of signatures. Can we just keep this so that every meeting